NCAASep 20, 2015 by Sarah Hoffman
SEC Season Preview: Florida
SEC Season Preview: Florida
Of the eight teams in the 2015 Women’s College World Series (WCWS), five of them were from the SEC; and five of the top 10 programs ranked in the NCAA Women
Of the eight teams in the 2015 Women’s College World Series (WCWS), five of them were from the SEC; and five of the top 10 programs ranked in the NCAA Women's Softball RPI on June 10 are SEC schools as well.
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Two-time defending National Champion Florida Gators are the obvious pick for where we'll start. Head Coach Tim Walton is building something of a dynasty down in the Swamp, with seven WCWS appearances in his 10 years there. Their back-to-back championships in 2014 and 2015 are the first time a team has repeated as national champs since the Arizona Wildcats did it in 2006-2007.
This year he’ll have to go for the three-peat without star pitcher Lauren Haeger, one of six Gators who have graduated from the 2015 National Champion team.
Haeger had a prolific career at Florida, culminating
with 2 national championships and being drafted by
NPF team the Dallas Charge
Haeger, who just finished her first season with the expansion Dallas Charge in the National Pro Fastpitch league, was named 2015 USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year and 2015 SEC Female Athlete of the Year, among several other awards for her performance last season. Haeger finished her career at Florida eighth all-time with a 2.01 ERA and tenth all-time with in strikeouts with 317 while also finishing third and fourth all-time offensively in home runs and runs batted in, respectively.
While the Gators will certainly feel Haeger's loss, they do retain several key players. First Team All-American and SEC Player of the Year Kelsey Stewart returns for her senior year. The infielder, who played on the USA National Team this summer, returns as an offensive threat, having led the Gators last season in hitting (.435), runs scored (71), hits (101), doubles (19), triples (11), total bases (148), and stolen bases (26). Florida also returns Third Team All-American sophomore utility player Aleshia Ocasio and Junior Women’s National Team sophomore utility player Nicole Dewitt.
Kelsey Stewart returns to Florida having led the Gators
in every major offensive category last season
Junior pitcher Delanie Gourley will have some big shoes to fill with Haeger’s departure but should receive some help from freshman pitcher Kelly Barnhill. Barnhill was ranked as FloSoftball’s Hot 100 No. 2 player in the country and joined teammate Dewitt on the USA Junior National Team this summer.
In addition to the No. 2 player in the country, the Gators also add two offensive juggernauts in Amanda Lorenz and Lilly Mann. Both Lorenz and Mann were invited to the prestigious Louisville Slugger Hit Club last summer, attended by the 10 best hitters in the country. Lorenz was also FloSoftball’s Hot 100 No. 1 player in the country, while Mann rang in at No. 42.
The Gators picked up several key freshman, including
FloSoftball's Hot 100 No. 1 player and Louisville Slugger
Hit Club participant, Amanda Lorenz
UCLA is the only team to have ever three-peated as WCWS Champions (1988-1990), but don’t count out the Gators. With strong offensive threats returning and one of the best recruiting classes in the country, 2016 may just be the year of the Gator.
———————————————
Two-time defending National Champion Florida Gators are the obvious pick for where we'll start. Head Coach Tim Walton is building something of a dynasty down in the Swamp, with seven WCWS appearances in his 10 years there. Their back-to-back championships in 2014 and 2015 are the first time a team has repeated as national champs since the Arizona Wildcats did it in 2006-2007.
This year he’ll have to go for the three-peat without star pitcher Lauren Haeger, one of six Gators who have graduated from the 2015 National Champion team.
Haeger had a prolific career at Florida, culminating
with 2 national championships and being drafted by
NPF team the Dallas Charge
Haeger, who just finished her first season with the expansion Dallas Charge in the National Pro Fastpitch league, was named 2015 USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year and 2015 SEC Female Athlete of the Year, among several other awards for her performance last season. Haeger finished her career at Florida eighth all-time with a 2.01 ERA and tenth all-time with in strikeouts with 317 while also finishing third and fourth all-time offensively in home runs and runs batted in, respectively.
While the Gators will certainly feel Haeger's loss, they do retain several key players. First Team All-American and SEC Player of the Year Kelsey Stewart returns for her senior year. The infielder, who played on the USA National Team this summer, returns as an offensive threat, having led the Gators last season in hitting (.435), runs scored (71), hits (101), doubles (19), triples (11), total bases (148), and stolen bases (26). Florida also returns Third Team All-American sophomore utility player Aleshia Ocasio and Junior Women’s National Team sophomore utility player Nicole Dewitt.
Kelsey Stewart returns to Florida having led the Gators
in every major offensive category last season
Junior pitcher Delanie Gourley will have some big shoes to fill with Haeger’s departure but should receive some help from freshman pitcher Kelly Barnhill. Barnhill was ranked as FloSoftball’s Hot 100 No. 2 player in the country and joined teammate Dewitt on the USA Junior National Team this summer.
In addition to the No. 2 player in the country, the Gators also add two offensive juggernauts in Amanda Lorenz and Lilly Mann. Both Lorenz and Mann were invited to the prestigious Louisville Slugger Hit Club last summer, attended by the 10 best hitters in the country. Lorenz was also FloSoftball’s Hot 100 No. 1 player in the country, while Mann rang in at No. 42.
The Gators picked up several key freshman, including
FloSoftball's Hot 100 No. 1 player and Louisville Slugger
Hit Club participant, Amanda Lorenz
UCLA is the only team to have ever three-peated as WCWS Champions (1988-1990), but don’t count out the Gators. With strong offensive threats returning and one of the best recruiting classes in the country, 2016 may just be the year of the Gator.